Start-stop regenerative repeater



Jan. 11, 1938. w. J.ZENNER ET AL 2,105,173

START-STOP REGENERATIVE REPEATER I Original Filed May 23. 1956 T ns. 1-

4o mug INVENTOR WALTER J. ZENNER BSYTEPHEN JANISZEWSK' 55'al1-op-eratingparts of the repeater are mounted.

Patented an. 11, 1938 PATENT o ioE stranr-s'ror REGENERATIVE REPEATER.

Walter Zenner, Des Plaincs, and ,Stephen Janiszewski, Chicago, 111.,assignors to Teletype Corporation, Chicago, 111., a corporation ofDelaware Application May'23, 1936, Serial'No. 81,410 Renewed August 25,1937 9 Claims. (Cl. 178-70) This invention pertains to telegraph systemsof the start-stop type in which code signals are repeated from linesection to line section, and more particularly, to regenerative repeatermechanisms for start-stop telegraph systems.

The object of the present invention is to'provide a start-stopregenerative repeater of simple designan'd capable of easy and accurateadjustment into an operating condition both during and after assembly.

The above and other objects are attained by providing separate andindependent adjusting means for the several cam followers for positioning them adjustably in. the planes of their respective controlling cams,relatively adjustable arms upon a controlling leveror jockey whichoperates to receive cam control from av cam surface at the extremity ofone arm and to deliver cam'control from a cam surface at the extrem- 'tfity of another arm, an adjustable stop member electromagnetic system ofthe repeater mecha nism and to readjust it While in operation, and otherdetails of convenience in the construction and operation of the device.

The present invention 7 provides a modified form of a structuredisclosed in copending application Serial No. 712,461, filedFebruary 23,

1934 by Walter J. Zenner for Start-stop regenerative'repeater. g g

A better understanding'of the invention may be had from the followingdescription, taken in Fig. 4 is a sectionalview taken on line 44 in Fig.1.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, a frame structure comprises a base platelfland a base casting Ii united by screws l2. Upon the basic structure Anoperating cam shaft l3 has integral sec tions' l4 and I5 of largerdiameter journaled in the base casting l l and has other sections l6 andI1 upon which parts are assembled to turn with the shaft, some in fixedrelation and others in adjustable relation. I-Iub I8 is fixed upon shaftsection l6 by a set screw and bears a driven repeater gear l9 fixed uponhub l8 by a lock nut.

A cam sleeve has assembled upon it a stop arm 2i, a flutter cam 22,an'off-normal cam The outerend ofthe cam sleeve 28 has an integralfiange as shown, and the tubular end of cam sleeve 20 is threaded withright-hand thread which is engaged by the lock nut to fix the stop armand all cams upon the cam sleeve, after which threaded flange 25 isassembled upon the end of the cam sleeve. A slightly larger sec-' tionof shaft section I! is threaded to carry an adjustable nut 2'l'whichengages one end of a shaft-encircling spiral spring 28 whose other endengages a loose flange 29 splined to revolve with the cam shaft Is. Atthe end of shaft section I! an internal lefthand thread is tapped intowhich a threaded stud of flange 3ll is screwed tightly, anannulus 3| offriction material having been positioned between the flanges 26, 3| anda similar annulus between the flanges 25, 29. Adjustable 'nutil now isturned to produce a desired tension in spring 28, the assembled camshaft i3 is placed in the journal bore of the base casting II, lock nut32. and cut nut 33 are installed upon the threaded end of base castingll and hub IS with gear I9 is fixed upon the shaft section 16.

23, a timing cam '24, a lock'nut and a threaded flangedisc 25, all withspacing rings'interposed.

Cam shaft, 13 is designed to rotate continuousshoulder screw 50 in fixedframe plate 5| and having indicator arm 52 with lock nut 53 cooperatingwith a calibrated scale on plate 5|.

In operation, with magnets 54 energized'and with armature 4i! in'itsoperated or attracted position, lever 36 is rocked by its spring toobtion by means of pivoted plate 4!, pivoted upon I struct the gatelatch 34 and to cause pin 38 to protrude, shaft l3 rotates continuouslyand through friction members 3| urges cam sleeve 20 to press stop arm 2|against the obstructing gate latch 34 which in turn is obstructed bylever 36. Deenergization of magnets 54 in response to an electricalsignal releases armature 45 which, propelled by its retractile spring55,

Fig. 1, moves striker 39 to push the pin 38 which V operates bell cranklever 31 and rocking lever 36 to release gate latch 34, thus releasingstop arm 2| and permitting the cam sleeve 20 to turn by powertransmitted through the friction members 3|. Timing cam 24 strikes itsfollower 51 at the instant of beginning of each repeated signal impulse,flutter cam 22 strikes its follower 58 and thereby propels armature 49toward magnets 54 just prior to each operation of follower 51 after itsfirst operation in each code cycle, and off-normal cam 23, through lever69, permits its contact springs 59 to close during a period ofsubstantially the full revolution of the cam sleeve 29, reopening itssprings 59 just before the cam sleeve is stopped by reengagement withthe gate latch.

An armature carrier 6|, of which cam follower arm 58 is an integralpart, is pivotally supported upon the extension sections of twoshouldered screws 62, Fig. 3, and is restrained against axialtranslation by the shoulders thereof. Screws 62 are threaded into tappedholes in casting 63 in the axis of the boss 64 and pivotally supportalso upon their extended sections the contact lever 65 which isrestrained against axial translation by abutment with the ends of thescrews 62. Armature carrier 6| and contact arm 65 thus are pivotedcoaxially for independent movement and are articulated through twosubstantially straight springs 66 whose proximal ends are attached toarmature carrier 6| by means of clamp 61 and whose distal ends engagethe two sides respectively of contact arm 65. By provision of long andsubstantially straight springs instead of short coiled springs, it ispossible to apply spring propelling force at a contact point near thepoints of application of mechanical restraint, at the same timepreserving the feature of minimum weight for all oscillatory parts.Contact arm 65 bears a contact support member 10 clamped between platesof insulating material by screws H to which are attached two pairs offlexible contacts l2 and a flexible conductor 13, all electricallyunited but insulated from the arm 65. In one position of contact arm 65,the flexible contact springs 12 engage both contact screws '54 and inthe alternative position of arm 65, the springs 12 engage both contactscrews 75.

In operation, when contact arm 65 is in spacing position as shown andwhen armature carrier 6| moves to marking position by power from fluttercam 22 and when armature 40 then is held in marking position byenergized condition of magnets 54, the lower one of springs 66 will urgecontact lever 65 upward and cam 24 will strike its follower 51 to causea cam surface 16 on arm 1! to release arm 65, thus permitting arm 65 tofollow the armature carrier 6| into marking position and to shift theflexible contacts 12 out of engagement from contact screws 14 and intoengagement with contact screws 15. Alternative or reverse operation ofthe same parts is obvious.

A novel design of contact post for carrying two contact screws isprovided, comprising an integral metal base part 19, Fig. 3, having twoclamp jaws and a single clamp screw 8| for the two contact screws, andhaving an elastic neck 82 for at least one of. the clamp jaws with ahinge axis or axis of elastic yield 83 so related to the positions ofthe two contact screws that approximately equal clamp pressure isapplied ultimately by the one clamp screw to the two contact SCISWS.

Tight and loose jockeys are provided for pivoted arm 65 which carriesrepeating contacts 12 and is propelled in oscillating manner atpredetermined moments by power received from armature 4|] through one orthe other of the two straight springs 66. A loose jockey 84 pivotallysupported upon the base plate Hi and lightly tensioned by spring 85engages the pivoted arm 65 with cam faces near the points of engagementof the springs 66; either spring, when tensioned to move the pivoted arm65, being sufficiently strong to overcome the loose jockey, and theloose jockey being at all times tensioned sufficiently to preventvibration of the pivoted arm from bounce or inherent periodicity orother minor cause. A tight jockey 86 strongly spring tensioned by itsspring 8'! has a cam arm 11 which engages the pivoted arm 65 upon radialor slightly cammed faces near the points of engagement of the springs 66and is tensioned suffrciently to hold the pivoted arm 65 against allspring urges, the tight jockey being mechanically operated by timing cam24 to abandon the pivoted arm 65 to control by its propelling springs atpredetermined moments. It is advantageous to have all springs andjockeys engage the pivoted arm at points closely grouped. When the twostraight springs 66 are fabricated from round wire, as shown, union ofthe two springs at their proximal ends prevents axial rotation of eitherone of the springs.

Tight jockey timing adjustment is effected by provision of a mountingarm 89 adjustable in angular position around a fixed pivot post 90 tosupport a movable pivot post 9| upon which the tight jockey rocks, thearrangement of parts being such that, by angular movement of themounting arm, a resultant movement is effected of cam follower 51integral with the tight jockey along the periphery of. its rotatablecontrolling cam 24. A principal orientation mechanism in the repeatereffects orientation of all cam followers with reference to the startingposition of the several cams as determined by the stop arm 2| and gatelatch 34, and in addition, as a further device for orientationadjustment, the movable pivot post 9| for the tight jockey effects anadjustment of the jockey cam follower with reference to the startingposition of its cam and without modifying coexistent adjustments betweenother cam followers and the starting positions of their cams,respectively.

The tight jockey 86 comprises two arms, one of which 51 is a camfollower for receiving controlling motion from a motor driven cam 24,and the other of which 17 has the nature of a cam with cam faces 16 onan extension whose follower is the pivoted contact arm 65. When adesirable adjustment of the cam follower arm 51 of the jockey has beenattained by means of eccentric shoulder screw 92, angularly adjustablemounting arm 89, and the movable pivot post 9| supported thereby, it maybe desirable to change the position of the cam arm 11 of the jockeyrelative to its follower, the pivoted contact arm. There are providedfor this purpose two separate arms 51 and H for the tight jockey,pivoted upon the pivot post 9| coaxlally and independently, and

articulated by a screw threaded into one of the arms and passing througha slot'in'the other of the arms. The cam arm I! of the jockey may beadjusted to itsv desired position without changing 1. the position ofthe cam follower arm 51', the arms i of the repeating mechanismshereinillustrated are used in a single repeating system which transmitsin two ways alternatively upon a single channel of communication,operating the repeating mechanisms alternatively in so doing, the camcontrolled contacts 59 in an operating repeating device disable acompanion repeating device to prevent reflection signals. It is requiredthat the cam controlled contact springs be in open condition when thecam 23 is at rest, regardless of the orientation position of adjustmentof the cam 23. Accordingly, there has been provided for the springs asupport or carrier 95 rotatable coaxially with the cam sleeve 20 androtatable under control of the principal orientation mechanism tomaintain unchanged the relation between and among the contact springs59,'their cam 23 and the cam follower 60 associating the springs and thecam. An annular rib is provided by base casting I I which projects abovethe base 7 plate IIlgof the repeater mechanism, surrounding the camshaft and surrounded by an inner annular edge of a ring of the carrier95, a portion of the ring of carrier 95 being omitted to permit theyoke-shaped remainder to pass the cam sleeve 20 and to take its positionupon the annular rib after assembly of the cam shaft I3 and the basestructure I0, II. A clamp member 96 of spring nature, shaped to resemblea part of a ring, holds the carrier 95'rotatable around the cam shaft I3under friction between the base plate and the clamping member, asimilarmember Qlof spring nature being positioned-between carrier 95 andbase H] in the manner of a shim. Control of the spring carrying" member95 by the principal orientation mechanism is attained by providing Y theface of the base plate I to the plane of the cam arm 51 of the tightjockey B3, and provision is made by cup nut 33 and its lock nut 32 toadjust the controlling cam 24 into the plane of its follower 51'. Thecam shaft I3 has fixed upon it a gear hub I8 having a crown face nearand opposing a crown face of a shoulder l upon the shaft, and betweenthese two crown faces is confined a web of cup nut 33 which is-threadedto the frame casting II of the repeater base structure; An adjustedposition of the cupnut 33 the position of the plane of the cam 24 withrelation to its follower, the tight jockey arm 51; The

cup nut 33 may be turned until a desired relation of cam and follower isattained and the lock nut then may be tightened to retain theadjustment. Subsequently to adjustment of the cup nut33 and cam 24, thefollower 60 of off-normal switch 59 may be adjusted into the plane ofits cam 23 by changing the thickness or by changing the number offriction rings 91 between the off-normal switch carrier 95 and the face'of the base plate I0 according to well-known practice with shims.

Also subsequently to adjustment of the 'cup nutshouldered pivotal screws52, Fig. 3, retiring one screw and advancing the other to position thearmature carrier 6| at the distance desired from therefore, determinesan adjustedaxial position of the cam shaft I3, and such adjustmentvaries the face of the base plate I0 to bring its cam follower 53 intothe plane of its cam 22.

An abutment for the arm TI of the jockey 86 to determine dimension ofengaging cam surfaces l5 between the arm H and the pivoted contact arm65 is provided in a radial yoke member 99 attached adjustably to thefixed stud 90 and having its distal end formed into a yoke which spansthe arm ll of the jockey at a location near the cam faces iii of thejockey arm. The radial yoke member, surrounds the fixed post 90 by aclosely fitted hole having a radial slot, and a bolt and nut I00 withlock washer is provided to draw together the sides of the radial slot,thereby clamping the member 99 firmly upon the fixed post 90.

A plurality of repeater mechanisms as illustrated herein are assembledupon a frame or rack IIII which is equipped with a motor (not shown)motor driven shafting I02, and motor driven gear I03, a motor drivengear being provided at the location of each and every proposed repeater.Screw tapped mounting holes are provided in the assembly rack located atpredetermined distances; from each gear I03 and these distances arecomparable. torelated distances in each repeater. Each repeater alsocontains a gear I9 designed to mesh with one of the gears I03 on theassembly rack I0 I. When a repeater is mounted by screws engaging thebase plate of the repeater and threaded into the noted tapped holes inthe assembly rack, the gear IQ of the repeaterwillmesh the gear I03 ofthe rack and provision is made for minor adjustment to produce asatisfactory depth of meshing between the teethof the. two gears. Nearthe lower edge of the repeater base plate, two bosses I04 are provided,shaped to present substantially spherical faces I05 against the rack I0!which is suitably countersunk. Each boss I04 is drilled to provide ampleclearance for a mounting screw I06, the function of positioning therepeater upon the rack being effected by en- 3 gagement of twosphericalsurfaces, not by engagementof any boss I04 with the body of a,mounting screw. Near the upper edge ofthe repeater base plate I0, atapped hole I0! is provided in a location approximately coaxial with e atapped hole I08 of larger diameter in the rack IOI.

A tubular adjusting member I09 is externally threaded to cooperate withthe tapped hole I08 of the rack and has an internal diameter offeringample clearance-for a screw'l I0 engaging.

wrench to turn the tubular screw member I09. Adjustment by moving therepeater gear wheel in relation to the rack gear wheel is effected byadjusting the three mounting screws closely, but not tightly, thenturning the tubular screw member I 09 to push the upper edge of therepeater base plate In from the rack IEH, thus swinging the repeaterbase plate upon its bosses H34 as upon a pair of hinges, and thusrotating the entire repeater mechanism to cause the repeater gear Hi toapproach more closely the rack gear IE3, or conversely. When desiredadjustment has been attained, the three mounting screws are tightened,and their split ring lock washers assist them in retaining the gears inadjusted position.

Subsequently to connection of the winding of the electromagnet into thecircuit of a telegraph line, adjustment of the interstice of the coreand armature may be required to adapt the magnetic system to theelectrical constants of the specific line into which it has beenconnected. Accordingly, there is provided means for moving the magnets54, comprising pivotal means for governing the path of movement of themagnets, and micrometric means for producing movement of the magnets andfor controlling the extent of movement and for preserving a condition ofadjustment. The magnet cores are mounted upon a casting 63 having a flatface engaging the face of the base plate !0 of the repeater and havingthe cylindrical boss 64 projecting from the flat face and entering acircular hole in the base plate whose edges are engaged closely, thusforming a journaled articulation. A threaded member or adjusting screw II2 is threaded into a tapped hole in the casting 63 and has a pair ofcrown faces H3 which engage closely the sides of a pin H4 fixed in thebase plate ill. By virtue of engagement of its crown faces with thefixed pin, the

4m adjusting screw H2 does not move axially when turned, resulting,therefore, in a movement of the casting 63 and of the magnet cores, thusvarying the interstice of cores and armature 40. Screws H5 threaded intothe base plate pass 43;, through slots in the casting 65 and clamp thecasting firmly to the base plate when a desired condition of adjustmenthas been attained.

The present invention, having been described above in connection withillustration of a specific embodiment thereof, now will be consideredmore generally and from a contemplation of its broader scope, and willbe definitely pointed out in the claims without limitation to thespecific illustration utilized herein for teaching the invention and itsapplication to the prior art.

What is claimed is:

1. In a start-stop telegraph repeater, a structural frame, a rotaryshaft journaled in said frame, a plurality of coaxial rotary camsoccupying relatively fixed separate planes upon said shaft, camfollowers for said cams severally and separately mounted on said frame,a pair of oppositely faced annular shoulders upon said shaft, and ascrew threaded member adjustably engaged with said frame and engagingsaid two annular relatively to all of said cam followers to vary therelation of the planes occupied by said cams with the planes occupied bysaid cam followers, and means comprising a pair of shouldered screwswhose threads engage said frame and whose shoulders and extensionsections engage one of said cam followers for moving one of said camfollowers to vary the relation of the planes occupied by said one of thecam followers and its associated cam.

3. In a start-stop telegraph repeater, a structural frame, a cam shaftjournaled in said frame, a cam assembly member comprising a plurality ofcoaxial rotary cams in fixed axial and angular relations carried by saidshaft, cam followers for said cams, means carried by said frame andengaging said cam assembly and adjustable to vary the angular relationsbetween a plurality of said cams and their associated cam followers, andfurther means carried by said frame and engaging one of said camfollowers and adjustable to vary the angular relation between a cam andits associated cam follower.

4. In a start-stop telegraph repeater, a plurality of rotary cams, camfollowers for each of said cams, means for adjusting simultaneously theorientation of a plurality of said cams, and further means for adjustingthe orientation of one of said plurality of cams.

5. In a start-stop telegraph repeater, a signal receiving armature, arotary cam, a cam follower engaging said cam and controlling saidarmature, a retransmitting contact member, a further rotary cam, afurther cam follower engaging said further cam and controlling saidretransmitting contact member, said cam and said further cam fixedtogether, joint orientation means for said cams, and means comprising anadjustably positioned pivot for one of said cam followers for varyingthe relation of operating times of said signal receiving armature and ofsaid retransmitting contact member.

6. In a regenerative start-stop telegraph repeater, a retransmissioncam, a pivoted follower arm for said retransmission cam, aretransmitting contact member, a pivoted controller arm for saidretransmitting contact member, said follower arm and said controller armpivoted coaxially upon a common pivot adjustable with respect to saidcam, means for uniting said follower arm and said controller arm at adesired angular relation, and a double stop member for said controllerarm having front and back stops for said controller arm in fixedrelation to each other and jointly adjustable to a desired position,said stops engaging said controller arm at mechanical contact pointsadjacent the point of engagement of said controller arm and saidretransmitting contact member.

7. In a regenerative start-stop repeater, a retransmitting contactmember, a signal responsive armature, said member and saidarmaturepivoted coaxially, a plurality of straight springs engaging said memberand said armature controlled by said armature and tending to urge saidmember, a jockey engaging said member and spring tensioned to yield tomovement of said member when urged by said straight springs, and aholding jockey having engagement with said member, the contact points ofmechanical engagement of said member with said straight springs, saidjockey, and said holding jockey being closely grouped upon said member.

8. In a regenerative start-stop telegraph repeater, a retransmittingcontact arm, means for operating said arm in start-stop manner, a pairof retransmitting contact members attached to said arm, said contactmembers electrically connected together, a pair of adjustable contactscrews having contact points engageable concurrently by said contactmembers, and'a supporting clamping bracket for said contact screwscomprising a unitary electrically conductive member having a bodyportion and two clamp jaws tapped for two contact screws, said jawsconnected to said body portion by hinge portions and relatively movablewith respect to each other upon a hinge line parallel to a plane throughaxes of said two contact screws whereby by relative driven gear iscarried, a rack frame upon which said power shaft and power gear arecarried,

' hinge members comprising bosses with spherical surfaces. and looselyengaging screws engaging said repeater frame with said rack frame forlimited relative rotation to produce a desired adjustment ofintermeshing of teeth between said gears, rotation control meanscomprising a threaded tubular member engaging a tapped hole in said rackframe and abutting said repeater frame, a screw engaging a'tapped holein said repeater frame and passing through said threaded tubular memberto clamp said repeater frame to said threaded tubular member and toclamp said tubular member against rotation in said rack frame, and meansfor turning said threaded tubular member, said means for turning andsaid gears being upon one and the same side of said rack frame.

WALTER J. ZENNER. STEPHEN JANISZEWSKI.

